Abstract
This paper offers a historical review of vehicle design measures that have been implemented to reduce neck injury risk to occupants of rear-struck vehicles. In particular, the rationale behind ratings published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is described. The paper also describes how seat and head restraint designs in US vehicles have changed during the 6 years IIHS has been rating passenger vehicle seats. Efforts to understand how well these ratings predict real crash injury risk are reviewed.
Keywords: Consumer rating, Neck injury, Seat design, Testing, Whiplash